Adrianza

[Linus]

I think he should be the starting SS until we are out of the wild card (maybe longer). He is a really good fielder and has hit pretty well. His defense over anybody else is noticiable.

[Danchat]

Yes, Adrianza's defense is definitely better than everyone else's in the infield, but they need to keep Polanco's bat in the lineup. He's been a hot hitter at the plate, I'd keep riding that hot streak until it ends.

[clone52]

 

Yes, Adrianza's defense is definitely better than everyone else's in the infield, but they need to keep Polanco's bat in the lineup. He's been a hot hitter at the plate, I'd keep riding that hot streak until it ends.

 

Yeah, you don't bench a guy with a 1.024 OPS in August.

 

I love Adrianza though.  Wondered if they'd trade Escober because of Adrianza.

[jun]

Escobar should be a better hitter with power. He is a better bench option. Adrianza has been hitting okay. Not much better than Escobar though. I am not sure if he can sustain it. After Dozier is traded this is not going to be a problem anymore.

[rujellis]

You don't have to bench Polanco;  Adrianza can play most of the time at SS...Polanco(DH) and Garver(DH/OF) can split Grossman's role.

 

And you just start this rotation for a couple weeks and see where the team is at.  If out of contention than I ease back on Adrianza's time in favor of development.  

[ahart10]

With Grossman out I would like to see more of Adrianza at SS with Polanco at 2nd and Dozier DHing.

[Linus]

With Grossman out I would like to see more of Adrianza at SS with Polanco at 2nd and Dozier DHing.

I had never really considered this but it makes a bunch of sense. Our infield defense is improved without sacrificing any offense. If Dozier can't be traded for pitching perhaps in 2018 he is the primary dh and spells guys at first second and third. I'm afraid we don't have a real dh for next year otherwise.

[kab21]

 

Escobar should be a better hitter with power. He is a better bench option. Adrianza has been hitting okay. Not much better than Escobar though. I am not sure if he can sustain it. After Dozier is traded this is not going to be a problem anymore.

If Dozier is traded. Will there be a team that needs a slugging 2B and willing to pay the price?

The Twins clearly need to trade one of Escobar or Dozier (or Adrianza) with Gordon coming up soon-ish though. The one issue is that Escobar is the only real 3B backup and he has started 38 games there. It might be tough to trade him due to that.

[mikelink45]

I think that Escobar has been overlooked by too many fans. He has a 731 OPS and 11 home runs after sitting a lot the first half.  He is much more than a utility player and we are lucky to have him.  I would keep him as utility next year and they can shuffle the others as they want.  

[stringer bell]

I don't think either Arianza or Escobar is more than a utility player, but they are both major league infielders. I think next year resting Dozier by DHing him (if he's still on the team) for 10-15 games does make sense and it might work for him to be an alternate at first (as Sanó has been used this year).

 

I do believe the Twins will have to choose between Arianza and Escobar next year. Both will be eligible for arbitration, with Escobar one year advanced in service time (FA after '18). Both guys are switch hitting backup infielders closer to 30 than 20, Adrianza turns 28 in a few days, Esco hits 29 in the off-season. Escobar provides more pop (11 homers this year in under 300 PAs) but Adrianza is the superior fielder and has better wheels. Escobar is also a clubhouse favorite FWIW.

 

If I'm picking between those two, I pick Adrianza, the more classic utility infielder. He's had a really good year hitting (SSS, only 117 PAs) and the fielding and running are legit.

[brvama]

I don't see any reason to be tinkering with this lineup the way Polanco is playing. Remember, while he is not the SS as Adrianza is, this is the first year in awhile that he has been able to concentrate on one position. His bat has too much potential to jerk him around now. Save that for next year or so. Need defense late in the game sub in Adrainza.

[stringer bell]

 

I don't see any reason to be tinkering with this lineup the way Polanco is playing. Remember, while he is not the SS as Adrianza is, this is the first year in awhile that he has been able to concentrate on one position. His bat has too much potential to jerk him around now. Save that for next year or so. Need defense late in the game sub in Adrainza.

I agree. Polanco is going to be a better hitter than either of the utility infielders. I was surprised by the slump he went through and I've been disappointed in his power numbers, but everything I saw coming into this year said that his bat was going to be pretty good. IMHO, it is Polanco who would move Dozier off of second or to another team, not Adrianza or Escobar with a shortstop (probably Gordon) moving Polanco to second base, where he is more suited.

[stringer bell]

 

 

I think that Escobar has been overlooked by too many fans. He has a 731 OPS and 11 home runs after sitting a lot the first half.  He is much more than a utility player and we are lucky to have him.  I would keep him as utility next year and they can shuffle the others as they want.  

While I don't agree that Escobar should be next year's utility infielder, I do agree that he has a lot of value to the Twins and probably other major league teams. He's an adequate defender at the three infield positions and with the proper amount of playing time, his bat plays well.

[kab21]

 

I don't think either Arianza or Escobar is more than a utility player, but they are both major league infielders. I think next year resting Dozier by DHing him (if he's still on the team) for 10-15 games does make sense and it might work for him to be an alternate at first (as Sanó has been used this year).

 

I do believe the Twins will have to choose between Arianza and Escobar next year. Both will be eligible for arbitration, with Escobar one year advanced in service time (FA after '18). Both guys are switch hitting backup infielders closer to 30 than 20, Adrianza turns 28 in a few days, Esco hits 29 in the off-season. Escobar provides more pop (11 homers this year in under 300 PAs) but Adrianza is the superior fielder and has better wheels. Escobar is also a clubhouse favorite FWIW.

 

If I'm picking between those two, I pick Adrianza, the more classic utility infielder. He's had a really good year hitting (SSS, only 117 PAs) and the fielding and running are legit.

I don't think the Twins will need to choose between the two. Adrianza is really cheap even in arbitration. The other reason is that the Twins have always carried two UT IF and Escobar plays 3B a lot.

 

It becomes a situation when Gordon pushes himself up to the MLB though. He isn't necessarily blocked by really good players but the Twins definitely don't want to lose one of Escobar, Polanco or Adrianza.

 

And just to be clear, nobody is suggesting getting rid of Escobar just because. He is 1.2 years away from FA and the Twins have a lot of current depth in the MI. If they can get a top 100 pitching prospect (kind of like the Mejia trade) then it is something to consider. Especially if there isn't a potential Dozier trade available.

[howieramone2]

We have quietly put together a very good bench. We are going to need this group in the World Series next season. Dozier replaces Joe in 2019 at 1B, ala Rod Carew.